By Erin Hayes & Jono Baron
Gargoyle staff reporter & senior editor
Posted Monday, April 2, 2007, The OG, arts

EACH WEEK WE'LL look ahead to the next releases in entertainment, from movies opening in C-U to DVDs and CDs hitting the stores. We'll also look at some of the more promising local concerts and performances scheduled for the coming week.

MOVIES OPENING IN C-U THIS WEEK

“Grindhouse” (official site)
If you've seen the trailers, you already know what this is about: two exploitation horror flicks made by Quentin Tarantino (“Death Proof”) and Robert Rodriguez (“Planet Terror”). “Grindhouse” pays homage to those seedy late '60s, early '70s flicks that served as an incubator for a generation of subversive filmmakers. It looks like a perfect Friday night double feature, but beware the length — the whole package runs more than three hours. Opens Friday at the Beverly 18 and Savoy 16. For showtimes at both theaters, click here.

“Are We Done Yet?” (official site)
It's hard to believe that the same guy who defined gangsta rap in 1988 as the main voice on NWA's “Straight Outta Compton” is now starring in family comedies like “Are We Done Yet?” But such is the career arc of Ice Cube — and not a bad arc it is, considering what happened to one of his NWA brethren, Eazy-E. This is the sequel to 2005's “Are We There Yet?” Fans of the TV series “Scrubs” might be enticed by one of Ice Cube's co-stars, the reliable John C. McGinley. Opens Wednesday at the Beverly 18 and Savoy 16. For showtimes at both theaters, click here.

“The Reaping” (official site) Academy Award-winner Hilary Swank encounters the supernatural in a small Southern town where plagues straight out of the Bible seem to have found a home. Opens Friday at the Beverly 18 and Savoy 16. For showtimes at both theaters, click here.

Gargoyle Pick: “Grindhouse.” Even if Tarantino's best days are behind him (and that's debatable), any fan of “Pulp Fiction” has to be curious about his latest work, whatever it may be. Same with fans of the often brilliant Rodriguez. As a bonus, “Grindhouse” includes fake trailers done in the same lurid style as the main features. Directors include Eli Roth (of “Hostel” fame), Edgar Wright (“Shaun of the Dead”), and Rob Zombie.

NEW CD RELEASES (in stores Tuesday, April 3)

Timbaland, “Timbaland Presents Shock Value”
Seasoned pop music producer Timbaland unleashes his magnum opus. This long-awaited record spans multiple musical genres, from the most quintessential pop to garage rock to hip-hop. Timbaland, who has worked with artists ranging from Björk to Young Jeezy, brought together an impressive lineup of collaborators for this album, including Elton John, Justin Timberlake, 50 Cent, She Wants Revenge, and The Hives.

Kings of Leon, “Because Of The Times”
This family rock group (composed of three Tennessee brothers and one cousin) release their third full-length studio album. Known for combining elements of Southern blues with garage rock, Kings of Leon display a more developed sound on this anticipated record. Because of this, lead singer Caleb Followill hails the album as their best yet: “There was a growth that people thought they heard on ‘Aha Shake Heartbreak' [KoL's second record] from ‘Youth And Young Manhood,' [KoL's debut] but there's no comparison this time out.”

Akrobatik, “Essential Akrobatik, Vol. 1”
Akrobatik, a Boston rapper and member of the rap group The Perceptionists, releases a compilation of his best work to date. The album will feature music both old and new, including tracks from his 1998 breakout single “Ruff Enuff” (“Fat S**t,” “Woman”), as well as more recent work, such as music from his 2003 album “Balance” (“Remind My Soul”). The record will also feature collaborations with other members of The Perceptionists, including prominent independent rapper Mr. Lif.

Sia, “Lady Croissant”
A quirky British songstress (and singer for Grammy-nominated downtempo group Zero 7), Sia combines warm, breathy vocal stylings with varying instrumentation (from emotional piano melodies to charmingly laid-back marimba and trumpet). “Lady Croissant,” a nine-track live EP, shows her at the height of her live performance abilities. The album was recorded at the Bowery Ballroom in New York City, and features a new studio track, “Pictures.”

Erin's Pick: “Lady Croissant.” Even from the meager experience I have with Sia's music, I can tell that she is a versatile and talented vocalist. I only have two songs on my iTunes that are sung by her, but the differences between them are insuperable. In her cover of Radiohead's “Paranoid Android” for the 2006 tribute album “Exit Music: Songs for Radio Heads,” she exudes a haunting vibrato, making the song tense and a bit frightening. On the other hand, her vocals in Zero 7's “In The Waiting Line” are fluid as can be, creating a luscious and comforting bed of music in which to lose oneself. Judging from the “Lady Croissant” preview on her MySpace page, her live performance capabilities are equal to those displayed in her studio work, so this record should be a real treat.

NEW DVD RELEASES (in stores Tuesday, April 3)

“The Good Shepherd” (official site)
“The Good Shepherd” is a chilling look at how the cold-blooded ethos of the WASP establishment took hold of the CIA in its early years, defining how America would exercise its power after World War II. To call this a spy movie is to do it an injustice. “The Good Shepherd” is really a study of a ruling class in action, from secret societies in the Ivy League to secret operations in foreign countries. Matt Damon is solid as the ultimate CIA good shepherd/good soldier. Director Robert De Niro shows that “A Bronx Tale” was no fluke.

“Volver” (official site)
Penélope Cruz stars in this latest work by legendary Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar. Cruz gets to perform in her native language and proves that she's got some legitimate acting chops. Set in Madrid and La Mancha, the movie follows three generations of women as they deal with the problems of marriage and family. Newsweek's David Ansen calls this “a mellow melodrama, filled with comedy, compassion and a sense of female community.”

Gargoyle Pick: “The Good Shepherd.” Iran 1953, Guatemala 1954, Cuba 1961, South Vietnam 1963 — keeping track of all the wrong turns American foreign policy took after Word War II can make a person dizzy. If you ever believed in American innocence, “The Good Shepherd” will set you straight.

LOCAL SHOWS & CONCERTS

Friday, April 6: Santa, Chris Buehrle, 9 p.m., The Iron Post, $5. Claiming influences such as John Mayer and Frank Sinatra, Chicago acoustic crooner Chris Buehrle visits our friendly Iron Post. He will be joined by Santa, a C-U indie blues-rock band powered by confident, attitude-filled vocals and surprisingly mellow, syncopated guitar rhythms.

Saturday, April 7: Casados, Lynn O'Brien, Dan Beahm and the Invisible Three, Elevado, 8 p.m., The Iron Post, $5. Lynn O'Brien, a local jazz favorite, performs alongside C-U folk sensation Casados and Dan Beahm's Champaign indie-rock group. The highlight of the evening will be a performance from prog-rock band Elevado, who hail from Georgia and infuse their lo-fi tunes with touches of ghettotech and other electronically influenced music.

Erin's Pick: Lynn O'Brien et al. Reason No. 1: I saw Lynn O'Brien at the Courtyard Café during the Pygmalion Music Festival in September, and her show was simultaneously a sweet, innocent performance of a young artist just out of high school, and a sophisticated, pleasantly well-done show that would have been enjoyable for almost anybody of any background or age. I bought her CD as soon as the show was over. Reason No. 2: Casados have been all over C-U this year, performing so often it's almost obnoxious. Therefore, because they're getting that many gigs, my logic tells me that I should probably go see them for myself. Reason No. 3: Elevado is from Atlanta. Bands from that far away who perform anywhere in town other than the Canopy, the Highdive, Cowboy Monkey, or the Assembly Hall are a pretty rare find for underage individuals like myself, so it might be fun to take advantage of the opportunity to see them.